If you are younger than age 35, you dont remember Villanova's upset over Georgetown in the 1985 NCAA finals.. Gave Rollie Massimino his only NCAA title.. The pinnacle of Big East basketball as 3 of the 4 "FINAL FOUR" teams, that year, were from that conference(St Johns led by Chris Mullin, Walter Berry, and Mark Jackson was the other)...... In that final, you got to see the importance of a fundamentally sound PG named Gary McLain for Villanova that controlled the tempo of that game. If you are not old enough to remember, I can tell you that Georgetown wins that game 95 out of a 100 times they play that game but that night at Rupp Arena, Villanova controlled tempo and SHOT LIGHTS OUT to beat the Patrick Ewing led Hoyas.... That was fun basketball to me because Georgetown, with all that intimidation they had with Ewing and teammates PLUS A DOMINATING PRESS, could not rattle McLain and you got to see how important PG play was in the NCAAs.
Today, we see more of an extension of the AAU, which is logical.... Lots of 3 point shooting, which is an improved skill no doubt, good defense by the champions most years but no strategic pressure IN MOST GAMES.. I have seen some in the NCAAs over the years but not like the 80's and 90's.. There is not the development of pg's for the top players at the lower levels(HS and lower) as the game has gone to majority of combo guards.. Gotta be able to score from the point as well as direct an offense... Guys just dribble it up the floor so no floor general is needed for most offenses.. Not like 20-30 years ago..I commented on BENS' post and it made me think about this more... Have we lost the art of good PG play?? Why dont we see more pressure defenses out of a made free throw or dead ball?? We see some full court man to man and maybe some trapping off the high screens but nothing like the 80's or 90s. Maybe it is not as bad as it seems and its just me... But I miss the strategy and not so much a fan of running down, shooting it, chasing after the rebound and loose ball, and continue the same... What say you??
Today, we see more of an extension of the AAU, which is logical.... Lots of 3 point shooting, which is an improved skill no doubt, good defense by the champions most years but no strategic pressure IN MOST GAMES.. I have seen some in the NCAAs over the years but not like the 80's and 90's.. There is not the development of pg's for the top players at the lower levels(HS and lower) as the game has gone to majority of combo guards.. Gotta be able to score from the point as well as direct an offense... Guys just dribble it up the floor so no floor general is needed for most offenses.. Not like 20-30 years ago..I commented on BENS' post and it made me think about this more... Have we lost the art of good PG play?? Why dont we see more pressure defenses out of a made free throw or dead ball?? We see some full court man to man and maybe some trapping off the high screens but nothing like the 80's or 90s. Maybe it is not as bad as it seems and its just me... But I miss the strategy and not so much a fan of running down, shooting it, chasing after the rebound and loose ball, and continue the same... What say you??
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